Centre for Advancing Seniors Care

In 2012, Conestoga College was awarded $800,000 over five years under the College and Community Innovation (CCI) Program for the CIHR/Schlegel Industrial Research Chair for Colleges (IRCC) in Seniors Care. This five-year research and development agenda integrates education, service and research to improve and develop care services to address the needs of Canada's aging population.

The Centre for Advancing Seniors Care, under the leadership of the CIHR/Schlegel IRCC in Seniors Care, develops and disseminates knowledge to enhance education, training and research related to the care and well-being of seniors. The Centre supports Conestoga's efforts to improve workforce development to better meet the needs of an aging population. It leads and supports applied research activities and increases care and research capacity in the field of gerontology through the development of faculty, researchers and students.

Funding

Funding for the Centre is provided by Conestoga College, Schlegel Villages and the Schlegel-University of Waterloo Research Institute for Aging as part of the Industrial Research Chairs for Colleges (IRCC) Program, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and is administered by the Canadian Institutes for Health Research (CIHR).

Vision

The Centre for Advancing Seniors Care at Conestoga is committed to education and applied research to improve the quality of life and care for Canada's growing population of seniors.

The Centre works in collaboration with researchers, health care professionals and the community to develop innovative education, workforce development and care practices to support seniors and their families and promote healthy aging across Canada and around the world.

Mission

To enhance collaboration across organizations and industry to promote partnership between older adults, their families, health care professionals, students, educators, researchers and other stakeholders to promote healthy aging and seniors care.

To enable education, care practices and system change to promote evidence-informed practices for quality improvement, productivity and sustainability.

To establish a national knowledge mobilization network to support workforce development.

Mandate

To collaborate strategically with community and SMEs to strengthen education, training and research to enhance care and well-being of seniors.

To support students and graduates to meet the needs of an aging population.

To establish an innovative and applied education and research program.

To develop faculty, researchers and students in gerontology with a range of clinical and practice expertise.

To mentor professionals to gain new insights and demonstrate leadership through innovation and education.

To extent the scope and influence of the work regionally, provincially, nationally and internationally.

Strategic Activities

Conduct applied research to improve care practices and models, promote well-being, develop and evaluate products for seniors care, and demonstrate the impact of innovation in education and training.

Collaborate in research, education and training with experts to lead new advances in research-informed practice.

Enable faculty, staff, students and practice partners to share current and new practices and resources to enhance seniors care and living.

Partnerships

IRCC partnerships:

Schlegel Villages and the Research Institute for Aging (RIA), linking research, training and practice to enhance care and quality of life for seniors.